Chapter 23-Can We Be Friends?

[Dion's Point of View]

I get into my car and continued searching for Vida. Biglang umulan kanina kaya sumilong muna ako sandali sa tindahan na nadaanan ko. I am worried dahil baka hindi nakasakay si Vida at nabasa s'ya ng ulan.

Pagkabalik ko kanina sa bahay wala na raw si Cindy sabi ni Manang Fely. Maybe, she's searching for me too. I wasn't able to get to say goodbye to her earlier.

Tumila na ang ulan pero madilim na ang daan.

Vida, is still occupying my mind. Malakas ang kutob ko na naglalakad lang s'ya.

And I wasn't wrong at all because my eyes caught her walking alone in the street.

I parked my car and immediately grab the umbrella at the back seat I brought in case the rain will pour again.

Sinalubong ko s'ya dahil mas nauna ang pinagparkehan ko ng sasakyan. Because of the lights coming from the vehicles passing by, I saw how her face reacted when she saw me coming.

Mukha s'yang takut na takot.

"Dion? Ano'ng ginagawa mo dito?" Her voice is a trembling.

"Bakit naglakad ka lang? Don't you have a fare? Delikado na maglakad mag-isa lalo na't gabi na," I said with concern.

"Ano bang pake mo?"

Here she goes again. Kanina lang, maayos n'ya pa akong kinausap, pero ngayon, bumalik na naman ang Vida na nakilala ko.

"Let's go. Ihahatid na ulit kita."

"H-Hindi. Pinili kong maglakad kaya 'wag mo ako didiktahan. Kaya ko ang sarili ko," pagmamatigas n'ya.

But what I did next made her astonished.

I hugged her.

And I just did it because I remembered something in all of a sudden.

Nyctophobia.

She's afraid of darkness!

"D-Dion, bitawan mo 'ko." I know she wants to get off me pero wala s'yang kakayahan at lakas. Nanghihina siya.

"Why did you walked alone? You fear darkness, right?" Damn. I feel like crying. I am so worried to her.

She didn't utter any words and just let me cover her with my arms.

Nararamdaman ko ang panginginig n'ya. She's really afraid.

Marami pang dumadaan na sasakyan but I didn't mind them. Even though, pinagtitinginan nila kami. Isipin na nila ang gusto nila isipin, I don't owe an explanation to each and everyone of them. Mabilis kasi manghusga ang mga tao na nakabase lang sa kung ano ang nakikita nila. And we're all like that. That's the fact.

"Are you okay?"

She didn't answer me. But I felt how she gently wrap her arms around my waist to hug me back.

My heart pumps even faster.

I don't know how to feel. Her smell was stucked in my nostrils. It's soothing and I'm loving it.

I tighten my hug to her. Hindi naman gaanong mahigpit, just right.

Kinikilig ako. And yes, I admit that.

We stayed in that position for a few minutes. Without minding our surrounding and the people who sees us.

Nang mahimasmasan si Vida, mabilis s'yang kumalas sa pagkakayakap sa akin. She even pushed me lightly. And I wasn't surprised at all. Alam ko na gagawin n'ya talaga 'yon.

Hindi s'ya makatingin sa akin. It seems like she still can't believe that she hugged me—that we hugged each other. Pero sana 'wag n'ya 'yon pag-isipan ng masama.

"I-I'm sorry. I just wanted to help." Alam ko na kung anu-ano na naman ang sasabihin n'ya sa akin kaya inunahan ko na lang s'ya magsalita.

But I was wrong. Hindi s'ya umiimik sa 'kin. She stayed silent.

Nang madama ko ang mga butil ng ulan na pumapatak sa aking ulo, agad kong binuksan ang payong para hindi s'ya mabasa.

Umuulan na naman at unti-unti ay lumalakas ito.

"Vida, let's get in the car. Ihahatid na kita," I said. Tumango naman s'ya na ikinagulat ko.

But I didn't wasted any time, kaya maingat ko s'yang hinawakan sa braso para magkasya kami sa iisang payong na dala ko. I guided her to enter the car saka ako pumasok kasunod n'ya.

"Give me your bag." And she handed it. Mabagal lang ang mga paggalaw n'ya na parang wala pa rin sa sarili.

Nilagay ko ang bag sa backseat. I stared at her for a moment saka ko s'ya muling kinausap.

"Y-Your seatbelt." I want to get her permission first bago ko 'yon isuot sa kan'ya. I don't want her to think negatively about me.

Nakatingin lang s'ya sa may bintana na parang hindi naririnig ang sinabi ko. So, wala akong choice kundi ang isuot na lang ang seatbelt sa kan'ya. I just made sure na hindi ako gaanong malapit sa kan'ya and I want her to know that I have so much respect to her.

After that, nakahinga ako ng maluwag. I wore my seatbelt too.

I was about to start the engene but my eyes caught Vida slowly hugged herself.

She's cold.

What would I do? Wala akong dalang kahit na anong damit dito.

Maybe, I should just buy sweater in the nearest shop we'll pass. Tama.

I started driving at ilang minuto pa lang kaming nagbabyahe, nadaanan na namin ang maliit na shop ng mga damit. Mukhang malapit na sila magsara mabuti naabutan ko pa.

"Vida, dito ka lang. Okay? I'll be back," I said to her. But she just glanced at me and didn't utter any words.

Mabilis akong kumilos para makabili ng sweater or any clothes na mahaba ang manggas at makakapagpabawas sa lamig na nararamdaman ni Vida.

"Goodevening, Sir. Mabuti nakaabot pa kayo. Ano pong hinahanap n'yo?" anang Ale.

"Sweater."

"Ah dito tayo sa loob. Halika, Sir. Mamili na lang kayo." Sinamahan n'ya ako sa mga nakahanger na damit. Agad namang nahagip ng mata ko ang isang black sweater na may tatak na 'Can we be friends?'

"How much is this, Miss?" Itinuro ko ang isang black sweater

"250 na lang po, Sir. Pauwi na rin kami kaya mura na 'yan."

Ngumiti naman ako sa kan'ya. "Sige. Kukunin ko na."

But instead of giving her the exact price she said, ibinigay ko sa kan'ya ang 500 pesos. Alam ko na mahina ang benta nila dito dahil hindi sentro ng pamilihan at kakaunti lang din ang mga tao na dumadaan.

I walked away right away buy they called me a few times.

"Sir! Sukli mo!"

"Just keep the change!"

I heard her saying 'thankyou' pero hindi na ako nag-abala pang lumingon. I need to rush dahil baka mapaano na si Vida doon sa kotse.

Pero bago ko pa man maipagpatuloy ang paglalakad ko. May naamoy na akong mabango na nagmumula sa karenderya malapit lang sa pinagbilhan ko ng sweater.

I went there and bought cup noodles. Pinalagyan ko na ng hot water at kutsara para makakain agad si Vida. I also bought a bottle of water, iyong hindi malamig. And then, saka ako tuluyang bumalik sa kinaroroonan ng kotse ko.

"Vida..."

Pagdating ko doon, ay nakapikit na ang mga mata n'ya. But I guess hindi naman s'ya natutulog.

"Eat this. Para mabawasan ang ginaw mo."

Malamlam pa rin ang mga mata n'ya. But she managed to take the cup from me.

I watched her for a while. Pero agad ko ring inalis ang tingin ko sa kan'ya dahil ayaw ko na mailang s'ya at hindi na tapusin ang pagkain. So I just took my phone and made myself busy.

Minessage ko na rin sila Mommy at Daddy pati na rin si Manang Felicita. I told them na may kailangan lang akong asikasuhin at medyo malelate ako ng uwi. I didn't get a fast reply from my parents unlike Manang that even texted me to take care. But I do understand my parents. They're prolly busy again with their works—in the office. Maya-maya magrereply din naman sila.

Hindi ko na namalayan na tapos na pala si Vida sa pagkain. Narinig ko lang s'yang dumighay kaya agad akong humarap.

"S-sorry," she said.

"It's okay." Mabuti nga 'yon, nabusog s'ya.

I was still hesitant pero kinuha ko ang sweater na nasa paper bag at iniabot sa kan'ya. Umilag s'ya ng ibigay ko 'yon at bakas sa mukha n'ya ang pagkagulat.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"Okay lang," aniya sabay kuha nito sa kamay ko. She wore it right away at inayos ang kan'yang buhok na medyo nagulo.

Then, I asked her if she's already fine so I could finally drive her home. Tumango naman s'ya bago nagkibit-balikat.

Mukha ngang mas maayos na s'ya ngayon kaysa kanina. Sobra talaga akong nag-aalala sa kan'ya.

I turned on the music that I usually listen to whenever I write my piece.

"Lany?"

Pigil ang ngiti kong um-oo sa kan'ya. She also listens to Lany songs?

"Parati ko 'yang naririnig sa playlist ni Faye."

"Really?" I glanced at her for a while.

"Mmm."

After that hindi na ulit kami ng nag-usap. Tahimik lang kami pareho habang nakikinig sa kanta na pineplay ko.

When we finally arrived, there I noticed that she already fall asleep.

I parked my car quite near from her place dahil baka mapansin ni Vincent at magkita na naman kami. Ayaw ko na sirain n'ya ang mood ko.

For now, habang natutulog pa si Vida, susulitin ko na muna ang time na 'to habang kasama ko pa s'ya. I'll just stare at her and watch her peacefully sleeping and make this moment a worthwhile.

Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko at pumunta sa camera app. I know this is illegal but I couldn't stop myself from admiring her peculiar beauty. So, I need to keep a photo of her para naman may mapagmasdan ako if my day is bad or I am not in the mood.

But I was failed when the flash of the camera hit her face. She covered herself instantly.

Damn stupid, Dion!

"Pinicturan mo ba ako?" Sa isang iglap ay parang bumalik sa dati ang Vida na hate na hate ako.

Pilit n'yang inaagaw sa akin ang aking cellphone but I managed to keep it in my back dahilan para mayakap ako niya ako. Natigilan kaming dalawa at nagtama ang mga mata.

"Hokage moves," I said out of nowhere. Her eyes widened then let go of me right away.

I couldn't help but to smile again.

She opened the door at nagmamadaling lumabas ng kotse ko. So, I followed her.

"Vida, I'm sorry for nth time."

...

She then closed the gate and walked up the stairs. I even watched her until she entered the door on the second floor. But I was left confused by what she said.

What does "vida" mean?

I walked to my car and got inside. And there, the words printed on the sweater flashed back in my mind. I couldn't stop my happiness when I realized that I had even hit the car horn. 

I panicked. That's why I rushed to drive because other people might see me. 

When I finally reached a vacant place, There, I let myself express the joy and euphoria I was feeling. 

"WaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaIs it for real? Are we now friends? —Like for real? Hahaha. Crazy, Dion. I'm going crazy, crazy! "

One of the happiest days of my life.